Headlight mechanism for vehicles



A. 1. SMITH.

HEADLIGHT MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27,1919- Patented Mar. 15, 192 1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVEN OR.

fi A TTORNEYS.

A. 1. SMITH.

HEADLIGHT micmmsm FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1919. 1,371,580.

I Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 $HEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABOEIBALD J'- SHI'IH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

HEADLIGHT MECHANISM FOR VEHICLE.

To allwlwmtmazycomem:

Be it known that I, AnoHIBAw J. SMrrn,

a citizen of the United States, and resident which has a controlling member arrangedadjacent the steering wheel and adapted to lie between the legs of a user of the vehicle so that the headlights may be shifted through the shifting of the legs without interfering with the control of the vehicle through the feet or the hands of the user. ject of the invention is to mount the controller member so it may be adapted for movement to an inoperative position where it will not interfere with the in ress and egress of users of the machine. further object of the invention is to provide centerin means which will automatically maintain the headlights in a centered position, said centering means being adjustable so that the centered position may be maintained. A still further object of the invention is to provide means by which the support of each headlight may be adjusted about a horizontal axis in order that the axis of the beam may lie at any desired angle to the surface over which the vehicle travels. Another and further object is to improve the controlling mechanism for the headlights as well as the supporting means for the head lights.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the two headlights and their connecting means;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the headlights; I

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the connection between the connecting rod and the two lamp supports;

Fig. 4 is a detail, sectional view of the lower portion of one of the lamp supports,

Another ob- I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 15, 1921. Application fled August 27, 1919. Serial no. 320,272.

. nism;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the connection between the operating member and the lamps;

Fig. 7 .is an enlarged view of that portion of the operating mechanism immediately in front of the steering seat of the vehicle;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the operating arm;

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the manner of supportmg the rock shaft on the steerin post of the vehicle; .Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the connections between the arm on the rock shaft and the arm on the upright shaft;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view, partially,

in section, showing the lamp supporting member and its connection with the bearing sleeve of the vehicle;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the pivotal support of one of the tubular bearing sleeves; and

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the lower part of one of the headlight supports.

Referring more particularly to the drawlngs, 1 indicates the lamps or headlights whleh are'secured to lamp supports 2, the latter having each a bearing 3 depending therefrom and turning in a tubular hearing or sleeve a. At the upper end of the bearing 3 a shoulder or collar 5 is provided whichrests upon a ball bearing 6 at the upper end of the sleeve 4:. A dust cap 7 incloses this bearing.

Each sleeve may have at one side an integral plate 8 which is pivotally connected to an upright portion 9 of a bracket by a pivot pin 10. The upright portion 9 is preferably slotted at 11, and set screws 12 operate in said slots and are anchored in the plate 8 for the purpose of holding the hearing 4 in different positions on the supporting bracket. This pivotal axis 10 is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and permits the optical axis of the headlight to be arranged at any desired angle to the roadway over which the vehicle is traveling, so I that the rays may be raised or lowered or projected horizontally. The bracket, in addition to the portion 9, comprises a portion 13 which, by bolts 14, may be secured to the side bars 15 of the vehicle frame. The

two bearing sleeves 4 may be connected together b a tie-rod 16 provided with a turnbuckle 1; by which the distance between the bearing sleeves may be varied. A connecting rod 18 may be pivoted at each end, as

at 19, to an arm 20 which is projected rearwardly from the lamp supports 2, so that the turnin of one lamp support in its bearing also e ects the turning of the other lamp support alike amount.

One of the lamp supports projects below the sleeve 4, as at 21, and this projecting portion is surrounded by a helical sprlng 22 which, at its upper end, abuts the lower end of the sleeve 4, and its lower end rests against an adjustable washer .23. This washer is supported by an adjusting bolt 24 operating in the lower projecting end 21 of the lamp support bearing, as will be fully seen by referring to Fig. 13. The other lamp support bearing has its lower end projecting at 25 from the lower end of the sleeve, and this projecting end carries a collar 26 which is secured to the projecting end by a key 27, said key permitting the collar. to move axially of the bearing while causing such collar to turnwith the bear ing on the lamp support. Arranged on the lower end of the sleeve 4 is a collar 28 which is' adjustably secured to the sleeve 4 by a setscrew 29. The opposed faces of the two collars 26 and 28 are provided with notches 30, and between these faces a ball 31 is arranged. A helical spring 32 surrounds the projecting end 25 of the lamp support bearing, and

. abuts at its upper end the collar 26 to press the latter toward the collar 28. Below the spring 32 on the bearing extension 25 a collar 33 is arranged, said collar being connected, by a key 34, to the extension 25, so

- that it may be moved in the direction of the length of the extension, but the collar and the extension are caused to turn together. A nut 35 holds the collar 33 in its adjusted position, and this nut operates on a bolt 36 which extends into the lower end of the extension 25. The two collars 26 and 28, together with ball 31', provide a centering device which tends to hold the lamps with their optical axes parallel with the direction of travel of the vehicle. Should the lamps be turned away from this centered position, the ball 31, cotiperating with the inclined walls of the grooves or notches 30, will under the action of the spring 32 seek the centered position. This centered position may be maintained by adjusting the collar 28 through the set-screw 29 on the tubular sleeve or hearing 4. This one centering device is suflicient for both lamps, and the one adjustme'ntthereof, due to the connection between the lamps, maintains both lamps in centered positions.

Any suitable operating means may be employed for turning the lamp supports in their tubular bearings 4. In this instance the collar 33 has an arm 37 provided with a ball socket 38 at its outer end. In this ball socket a ball on a rod 39 operates. This rod 39 extends rearwardly from the headlights, and connects pivotally at 40 with an arm 41 on an upright shaft 42 which extends upwardly through the footboard of the vehicle. As these footboards vary in different vehicles, it is desirable to provide an adjustable bearing for the upright shaft 42, and to this end there is provided a sleeve 44 in which the upright shaft turns. This sleeve is pivotedat 45 to an attaching plate 46 so as to turn about a horizontal axis. This attaching plate has depending lugs 47 on its under side, and these lugs carry adjusting screws 48 for coiiperating with opposite sides of the adjustable sleeve 44 in order to give to said sleeve a vertical position notwithstanding the position of the attaching plate 46 on the footboard. The upper end of the upright shaft carries an arm 49 which is formed with two spaced projections 50, the opposed faces of which are curved or ball faced at 51. Between these two projections a roller 52 on an arm 53 operates. This'arm 53 is secured to a rock shaft 54 which turns in bearings 55 that in turn are secured by clamps 56 to the steering post 57 of the vehicle. At the upper end of the rock shaft 54 an operating arm is provided. This operating arm is preferably pivoted to the rock shaft 54 at 58, and it is preferably adjustable. This adjustment is secured, in this instance, by a tubular portion 59 which is pivotally connected to the rock shaft and a sliding portion 60 operating in the tubular portion and held in different positions therein by a spring latch 61 or other suitable means. At its outer end the sliding portion carries two enlarged disks 62 which are adapted, when the arm is swung to the full line position shown in Fig. 7, to lie between the legs of the user of the vehicle.

In the o eration of the invention, the leg operated ever is swung to the full line position shown in Fig. 7, and the end thereof is positioned between the legs of the user, so that the plates 62 thereof may be engaged by the opposed faces of the legs. In this position, the lamps may be controlled by the driver of the vehicle without the using of his hands, or, in fact, any other part of the body than hands or feet, which are necessary to the control of the vehicle, the movementof the legs to either side directing the headlights to such side. If it is not desired to control the headlights, the operating lever is swung to the dotted line position and the headlights will lie with their axes straight ahead under the centering device hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that i there has been provided a control for headof the vehicle, and when in this inoperative position, the headlights are maintained in the centered position. One centering device is employed for both lamps. The con nection between the operating member and the lamps is of simple construction and not liable to get out of order. It is adapted for connection with a great many makes of automobiles without any change in the parts thereof. The upright shaft is supported in a bearing which is adjustable to footboards of different angles. The lamps are support ed on the frame in such a manner that their axes may be varied to suit the limbs of the user or to meet legal conditions.

What I claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is: y

1. In a headli ht mechanism, a headlight, a support therefor mounted to turn about an upright axis,-and operating mechanism for turning said support comprising a rock shaft arranged in an inclined position with its forward lower end nearest the front of the vehicle and its rear upper end nearest the rear of the vehicle, and an operating arm for said shaft secured to the rear end thereof and mounted to turn about a horizontal axis so as to swing downwardly to an inoperative position.

2. In a headlight mechanism, a headlight, a support therefor mounted to turn about an upright axis, and an operating means for turmng said supporting member comprisinga rock shaft mounted upon the steering post of a vehicle substantially parallel with the post, and an arm extending from said rock shaft to lie between the legs of a user to permit the control of the headlight by sidewise movements of the legs.

3.- In a headlight mechanism, a headlight, a support for the headlight mounted to turn .about an upright axis, and an operating mechanism for turning said support com ranged to operate between said projections and engage said curved faces.

4c. In a headlight mechanism, a headlight, a support therefor mounted to turn about an upright axis, means for turning said support, a centering device for. maintaining the headlight in centered position, said centering device comprising two members, each prov1ded with a notched face, one of said members being fixed against turning and the other of said members being mounted to turn with the support, and a ball operating between the members.

5. In a headlight mechanism, a headlight, a support, a sleeve through which said support extends and in which it turns, a collar rotarily adjustable on the lower end of the sleeve, a collar movable axially on the support below the first named collar, said two collars having their opposed faces notched, a ball arranged between the collars, and a spring arranged about the support below the axially movable collar to move such axially movable collar toward the first named collar.

ARCHIBALD J. SMITH. 

